Banana Beignets

Ingredients

2 large eggs
1 large ripe banana (about 6 ounces), sliced lengthwise in half and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups bleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
1/2 cup confectionersí sugar

Instructions

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add the banana, flour, milk, sugar, baking powder, and salt, and whisk well to make a smooth batter.

Pour enough oil to come halfway up the sides into a large deep pot or electric deep fryer and heat over high heat to 360°F.

In batches, without crowding, drop heaping tablespoons of the batter into the hot oil (you can do 6 or 7 beignets at a time) and fry, turning them to brown evenly, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain.

Sift the confectioners’ sugar through a sieve onto the beignets and serve warm.

Yield: 18 to 24 beignets